


She

by BriMarie



Series: The Book of Love: Rini Drabbles [23]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Denial of Feelings, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Fluff fest, Friends to Lovers, Nini Salazar roberts - Freeform, Ricky Bowen Loves Nini Salazar-Roberts, Song fic, Unrealized Feelings, high school musical the musical the series - Freeform, hsmtmts, ricky bowen - Freeform, rini - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26692996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriMarie/pseuds/BriMarie
Summary: The gang are all talking about who they envision when they try to picture their ideal significant other.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen & Nini Salazar-Roberts, Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Series: The Book of Love: Rini Drabbles [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757938
Comments: 14
Kudos: 47





	She

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song She by Harry Styles.

The theater gang all decided to have a sleepover at Red’s place. Kourtney and Nini were coming later due to their overlapping schedules while the rest of the group had already arrived.

They had been lounging around the floor watching some movie no one was actually paying attention to. Suddenly, Big Red said a random thought.

“Hey guys, when you think of the perfect person for you, who comes to mind first?”

Everyone just stared at him confused.

“What made you ask that?” Gina asks.

He showed his phone screen. “Saw some post that asked me that and wondered who came in your minds.”

“Zac Efron, periodt.” Carlos says.

The others chuckle while Seb nudges his boyfriend.

“Oh, and I guess you’re okay too Seb.”

Seb nudges him a little harder, and Carlos gives him a quick peck on the cheek so he knew he was kidding.

“I’d definitely have to say Margot Robbie or that new guy Howie from my chemistry class.” Gina states.

“Have you ever even spoken to him?” EJ asks.

She puts a finger on his lips shushing him. “He doesn’t know we’re meant to be yet.”

EJ licks her finger causing her to wipe it off on her pants in disgust before elbowing him.

“Imma have to go with Big Red.” Ashlyn says out of nowhere.

Everyone awed while Red blushed. “I thought of you too.”

Carlos groaned. “Are you guys dating yet? I’m tired of waiting.”

Ashlyn looks over at Big Red and holds his hand. “We’re taking it slow.”

EJ scoffs. “If you think they’re bad, try comparing them to Ricky and Nini.”

Ricky choked on his water as everyone turned their attention on him. “What?!”

“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about Bowen. You and Nini have practically been giving each other heart eyes since I’ve met you two back in 8th grade.”

Ricky begins to blush. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The others all gave him knowing looks.

“Oh come on Ricky, you have to admit you two would be cute together.” Gina pitches.

Seb nods. “Honestly, I’m surprised you two are blind to it. We basically watch you guys flirt from the sidelines.”

“You guys forget that their both cowards when it comes to expressing their feelings. I wouldn’t be shocked if they waited til junior year of college to ask each other out.” Red states.

“Okay, a little harsh but true about the struggling to express feelings part, but not true on the part where you claimed Nini and I like each other.”

“Stop denying it lover boy. You two are meant to be. I’m sorry; I don’t make the rules.” Carlos says.

Ricky rolled his eyes as he slumped down in his chair knowing he wasn’t going to win this one.

“Well who did you see when you pictured the perfect person for you?” Red asks.

Ricky froze. He actually couldn’t think of anyone in his head when they were talking. It was more of a faceless woman that was blurred. The others waited for his response.

The sound of footsteps from the stairs gets their attention. Nini came running down the stairs and smiled when she saw them.

“Hey guys! Sorry I’m late. Kourtney is upstairs getting a snack. What’re you guys up to?”

They all just stare at her not sure how to bring up the topic. She raises a brow not understanding why they all looked like deer trapped in the headlights.

She looked over at Ricky first and wasn’t ready for his facial expression. He had been blushing, and there was a sparkle in his eye. He looks almost enchanted.

“Uh why’re you all acting weird?”

“We were talking about the next movie we were gonna watch. Now that you’re here, we can all decide together, right guys?” Ashlyn improvises. They all nod going along with the lie.

“Oh cool.” Nini plops down beside Ricky sliding under the blanket he was using. She immediately cuddled with him like she always did. She swore she heard Gina whispering something to Carlos causing them to snicker but paid it no mind.

She peaked up at Ricky to see he was already looking at her. She gives him a bright smile. “Hey you.”

(His heart felt this weird sensation when she did).

“Hey...”

“I brought you something.”

“You did?”

She hums and placed a share sized sour patch kids packet in his hand. “Well technically it’s for us, but keep it a secret cuz I don’t wanna share with anyone else.”

He grins and pulls her closer to him. “Sharing is overrated anyways.”

“Spoken like a true only child.”

“You’re one to talk.”

She stuck her tongue out at him and he mimicked her.

“Y’all are so cute.” EJ whispers to them.

Ricky rolls his eyes while Nini giggles nervously.

Kourtney walks down with a huge bucket of popcorn. “The main event has arrived.”

Carlos mockingly laughed. “Sweetheart, we all know that _I’m_ the main event.”

“Those are fighting words Rodriguez.”

Kourtney pops a squat between Gina and Ashlyn sharing her popcorn with everyone except Carlos for saying that fuckery.

***

As the movie progressed, more of them either fell asleep or went upstairs to get more snacks. Ricky and Nini were the only ones awake in the basement still watching the movie _Love, Rosie_.

“Alex and Rosie are so cute together. I’m surprised they didn’t kiss sooner.”

Ricky feels his heartbeat quicken at her words remembering the conversation with the gang. “Uh yeah totally.”

When she had walked down the stairs right after he had been asked who he saw in his head, he felt his heart become excited at the sight of her. Not because she spooked him, but because the blurred woman in his head slowly became Nini.

He wasn’t sure what to do now. He didn’t know how he felt about her. He knows he likes being around her, she makes him laugh even when he’s upset, she understands him, she gives great advice, she’s really pretty, and...holy shit.

She was perfect for him.

She pinched his cheek lightly. “Stop staring at me weirdo.”

He blushed not realizing he had been gazing. “Sorry, you just got some sour patch sugar on your lip. It’s hard not to stare.” He lied.

“Can you get it?”

“Sure.”

He titled her chin up and slowly brushed the imaginary sugar with his finger on the corner of her lip. 

He couldn’t help but glance at her lips as he did taking notice of how pink and appealing they were. He was shocked he hadn’t paid more attention to it before.

“You’re staring again.”

He shifted his eyes to hers and realized she had been gazing at his lips too. He smirks. “So are you.”

She glanced up at his eyes and sees that same twinkle they had earlier. She hopes to see it more often. She felt the sudden need to be even closer to him. She caught him flickering his eyes down at her lips and she wondered what it’d be like to kiss him.

As if he read her mind, he took a breath. “Can I kiss you?”

She can’t find the words to speak, so she just nods.

He slowly brings her face to his until their lips finally meet. He kissed her sweetly as she rested her hand on top of his. The kiss ended just as quickly as it started, but it made such a huge impact on the both of them.

After staring at each other trying to come up with something to say, Ricky speaks up.

“Thoughts?”

She smiles cheekily. “You taste like strawberries.”

He rolled his playfully. “Not what I was expecting but okay.”

“In all seriousness, it was nice.”

He seemed to be unsettled with her answer. “Like good nice or bad nice?”

“Is there such thing as a bad nice?”

“I guess not.”

“Ricky, I liked the kiss.”

He let out a sigh of relief. “Really?”

She giggles and nods. “Yes.”

“Oh thank god, cuz it was gonna be awkward as hell if you didn’t feel the same.”

She beams as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re so adorable.”

“You’re adorabler.”

“That’s not a word babe.”

“Sh, just pretend that it is.”

She rolled her eyes before placing her lips onto his loving the little noise he made at the sudden gesture. He wrapped his arms around her back bringing her closer.

When they released, they couldn’t help but smile from pure bliss both not realizing that this was one kiss of many to come.

***

_She lives in daydreams with me_

_She's the first one that I see._

**Author's Note:**

> I felt like I needed to update after not posting for like two weeks. I’ve been working on two separate long ass fics.
> 
> Quote is from She by Harry Styles.
> 
> Hope you liked it!


End file.
